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How to Prepare for the Arrangement Meeting

Did you know that in the 48 hours following a loved one’s passing, you could make up to 70 decisions during the funeral arrangement process? Anyone who has ever had to arrange a funeral can attest to the fact that there are many decisions to make and limited time available.

After experiencing this, many people are more drawn to the idea of preplanning a funeral. Besides the fact that you are relieving your loved ones of this task. You also don’t feel the pressure of time and a limited window to make your decisions. When you preplan a funeral service, you can spend time thinking about what you would like to include in your service. When you’re ready, you can schedule a time to meet with one of our funeral directors and finalize your arrangements.

You might find yourself wondering what to expect during the funeral arrangement meeting. Rest assured, it is a relaxed atmosphere as you work with caring and dedicated funeral professionals. Whether you are preplanning a funeral or in immediate need, the process is quite similar.

Below we’ve broken down the arrangement process for you. It is our hope that by better understanding the process, you’ll know what to expect during the meeting and be able to best prepare yourself.

Who’s the Decision Maker?

If you are making the arrangements for a loved one, your family might have two or three people attend the arrangement meeting. Before you arrive at the funeral home, it’s a good idea to decide who will make the final decision. Understandably, different family members will want to have their say and offer input. In order to save yourself from stress and frustration, it’s best to decide ahead of time who will have the final say. In most cases, the executor or legal next of kin will have this responsibility.

If you are preplanning your funeral arrangements then obviously you will be the decision maker. At the same time, we recommended talking it over with your family as well. Remember, a funeral service is not just about celebrating your life, it’s also about helping your family mourn and begin to heal.

Burial or Cremation?

Before you head into the arrangement meeting, make sure you take some time to think about the type of service you want to plan. When it comes to caring for the remains, you must decide between having the remains cremated or buried. Once you know the method of disposition, you can start to make arrangements for the type of service.

If your loved one left a will, make sure to consult it as they may have expressed their wishes in it. If not, your family will have to come to a consensus. No matter what method of disposition you select, you can still plan a funeral service to go along with it. A common misconception is that you can only have a funeral with a burial service or a celebration of life with cremation. This is simply not true and we would be more than willing to help you arrange the service you desire.

Before you head into the meeting, start to think about the type of service you want and how the remains will be cared for. From there, our funeral home staff will work with you to make arrangements that accommodate your family’s needs and budget.

Establish A Budget and Understand the Cost Breakdown

No matter what type of service you desire, it’s important to first establish a budget. Understanding how much you can afford to spend will be beneficial as you start to make selections.

It’s also important to understand the cost breakdown as well. Funeral homes are legally required to provide you a detailed price list so that consumers understand where their money is going. When you meet with one of our funeral directors, don’t hesitate to ask for pricing clarifications. We would be more than willing to help explain the price breakdown to you.

Merchandise Selections

An important part of the arrangement process is selecting funeral merchandise. From caskets or urns to flowers and catering, you’ll need to decide upon different types of merchandise. Take some time to think about the types of items you want to include with your service. Your funeral director will gladly discuss the different products we offer and be there to help you make informed and educated decisions.

Here to Assist You

Making funeral arrangements should never be something that you stress about. At Brown’s Memorial Funeral Home, our caring and knowledgeable staff will be there to assist you every step of the way. We understand that funeral planning can be nerve wracking to say the least. Rest assured, we strive to make sure our clients understand the options available and help the make the decisions that best suit their needs.

If you are interested in preplanning a funeral service, please don’t hesitate to contact us. One of our funeral directors would be more than happy to spend some time speaking with you and answering any questions you may have. We also recommend visiting the Pre-Planning Funeral Arrangements section of our website. Here you will find more helpful information about funeral preplanning. When you’re ready to begin the prearrangement process, we would be happy to schedule a time to meet.